The Truth About General Readings

I can't count the number of times that I have had a client sit down and say "whatever you see in the cards is fine". Here's the problem, general readings aren't always a good idea. Keep reading for the real truth about general readings.

It almost seems like just saying that you just want to know what I see is a good idea. It's simple, takes about two seconds to say, and things should go smoothly, right? Nah, not quite. 

Does the reader even do general readings?

Some readers do, some readers don't. I try not to do them simply because I don't enjoy rousing games of Russian Roulette. I can pretty much guarantee that if you are sitting down and spending money on a tarot reading that you already know what you are hoping to hear about. Why not save you and your reader the aggravation and just say what you are thinking? So before you sit down with a reader, check to see if they even do general readings. 

​Know the reader and their style

When you are doing your research on a reader take a look at what their style is. Some readers will do general readings, but then when you look at their work you see that they write really vague things when doing general readings - making them not ideal for what you want. So look for those readers who do general readings, and seem to really be able to pull a lot of detail.

​Don't expect the reader to know everything

I had a reading with a client once where she said " I want to know about love", and that was it. Ok, but are you looking to see when love is coming? are you looking to know what challenges you face? Are you interested in looking into a particular person?  I get that people tend to expect a reader to also be psychic, but the vast majority of us aren't. When you expect us to just pull every little detail out of your head it can be frustrating. Do yourself and your reader a favor and give them at least a general idea of what you want to know. It'll make the whole process more enjoyable.

​Don't hide information either

I had another reading one time where the client said "I want to look at my relationship with XXX", to which I drew cards that showed an abusive relationship and that she needed to move forward away from him. She then replied "Well, duh. I want to know if we are getting back together?" Ignoring the fact that this is such a bad idea to want to get back with someone abusive, why not just say what you need to know? My reading was accurate in the way that I interpreted the cards, but it wasn't what she was actually looking for.

​General readings usually aren't the best option

If I do a general reading (rarely) I just sort of throw down a few cards and free think what I am seeing. However, more structured readings are usually better. For example a reading might have a card for the situation as it is, what challenges it faces, outcome, etc... Each card is laid in a defined place, and has a specific aspect that it looks at. If you have an issue, it is usually better to get a reading that will give you the level of detail that you really want.


At the end of the day it is up to you what you do, but in my experience not having an idea of what you want to talk about usually leads to a lack of connection and unhappiness about the reader/reading.  Do you think it is a good idea or a bad idea to get a general reading? Share your thoughts and questions below.